Hey guys, I have just graduated high school and I am now really starting to plan on going pro. I know I have asked this question a million times in a million different ways but I need a place to start. I have read Haunt Entrepreneur and done a lot of homework but I want to start a single haunt in a medium sized building around the corner from me. This may be in the next 2 to 3 years but there is still so much to learn. Every night I dream of my haunted house coming to life and it's come to the point where I need to do something about it. Unfortunately the parents aren't very happy about me taking over the garage so it's time to move on. What should I do guys? What is the best way to acquire a descent amount of money to get this running?

#1 Best advice i can give you is learn on someone elses dime. Get a job working with another pro haunt for a few yrs and absorb all the inside info you can. While working take notes write down ideas and start amassing an inventory. Get your self deep into your haunt community. Go to the city and get codes. If you can go to college or trade school do it and see what extra things you can take from it (theater arts degree) Most importantly have fun and enjoy your self now there will be days haunting sux and you need those fun times to get you thru. There are far worse things in life than getting paid to abuse teens with a chainsaw

I'm only doing this to impress 2 people ... The fire marshal and the customer that's it !!!

I forgot to mention start small at first. I suggest you get a job put a little money into the haunt to get started and then let the customers finance you. Slowly adding more props and lumber each yr using previous yrs proceeds is a very safe way to start with out risking loosing your shirt. Your young you got the rest of your life to get into debt.

I'm only doing this to impress 2 people ... The fire marshal and the customer that's it !!!

If you do decide to go pro, hold off on hiring an agent as long as you can. That way in case your draft status comes back unsatisfactory you can still go to college. Of course there maybe a lock out so your best bet might be to go to college for a year or two anyway.

I think the scariest part is finding out how much a building would cost to rent, I heard that it's extremely expensive... I think when I break down all the thoughts, it comes down to the actual building itself. Any tips on this section of going pro?

I got my pro start after leaving many yrs of hauntship with other pros in a local mall. We stayed in the malls for the next 4 yrs. I got the mall to waive rent on a 16,000 sq ft store in exchange for sponsor ship and promotion of the mall . (We brought much needed traffic) It was a great start and got my foot in the door. We then built on this until we out grew the mall haunt and went on to bigger things.

I'm only doing this to impress 2 people ... The fire marshal and the customer that's it !!!

Now I just got an interesting notion. Would it be easy to set up shop in an abandoned facility and start from there? Almost like ghost walks to get somewhat of a jump start? Buffalo is plentiful with abandoned structures. When you think of it, the place probably wouldn't be much of worth anyways, it's practically decorated and all it takes is some safety measures and revamping to make it useable. Of course there would need to be room for electrical systems as well as fire safety and stuff but how does this sound? Anyone have any feed back on his? I got this idea mainly from Pennhurst Asylum and what they got going on over there.